Quote:"Lockheed will transition F-16 production to an existing facility in Greenville, South Carolina, where it’s also planning to assemble T-50 trainer jets pending the outcome of the US Air Force's T-X trainer recapitalisation contract.

[.....]

Initial activities supporting the move to South Carolina are already underway, a Lockheed spokesman says."

I wonder when deliveries will start. 2-3 years? Or will setting up in Greenville take less time than long lead components take to be delivered?

I guess LM will go all out to secure further orders ASAP. Setting up a production line in a different location is not the sort of thing you do just to produce 16 aircraft.

They moved production of the F-16 to Greenville because F-35 production was taking up all of the assembly halls at Ft. Worth as part of the ramp up. This was expected. The F-16 will share a production hall with the LM-KAI T-50A trainer if the T-50A is selected to be the next USAF trainer (the T-50A is largely derived from the F-16).

From what I can remember, F-16 deliveries are all complete as of this year, with the last one being an Iraqi Air Force example. The Bahrain order is a new order, but one that has been in the pipeline for a while, so long term lead items probably have already been ordered.

It will probably will take 2 years before the first F-16 rolls off the production line in Greenville; it's going to take some time to dismantle and pack up the tooling and reassemble it all in Greenville, and hire a local workforce to staff the facility. I would imagine very few Ft. Worth people will go to Greenville because LM is on a massive recruiting spree for Ft. Worth to fill positions on the F-35 line.